Eyeglass frame alignment device

ABSTRACT

An eyeglass frame alignment device having two vertical posts mounted on a base forming a space therebetween and a third post connected pivotally to the base and rigidly to a lever. A screw in the lever tilts the third post angularly toward and away from the vertical posts to clamp the eyeglasses between the pair of posts and the third post to apply firm pressure against the front member and bridge of the glasses and to hold the glasses firmly in place for a period of time to realign the front member and to obtain a relatively permanent set in the realignment.

, [76] Inventor: Bernard H. Miller,

United States Patent [191 Miller i 1 3,710,653 [451 Jan. 16,1973

[ 54] EYEGLASS FRAME ALIGNMENT DEVICE 141 North Dickson Street, MichiganCity, 1nd.

221 Filed: April 14, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 133,984

[52] U.S. Cl. ..81/3.5, 269/237, 269/289, 7 72/390 [51] Int. Cl. ..B25b11/00 [58] Field of Search ..8l/3.5; 269/237, 289, 156, 269/238; 72/389,390

[56]' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,684,002 7/1954 Horvath..81/3.5

3,577,811- 5/1971 Walker ..81/3.5

Primary Examiner-'Robert C Riordan Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker,Jr. Attorney-Hobbs & Green [5 7] ABSTRACT An eyeglass frame alignmentdevice having two vertical posts mounted on a base forming a spacetherebetween and a third post connected pivotally to the base andrigidly to a lever. A screw in the lever tilts the third post angularlytoward and away from the vertical posts to clamp the eyeglasses betweenthe pairof posts and the third post to apply firm pressure against thefront member and bridge of the glasses and to hold the glasses firmly inplace for a period of time to realign the front member and to obtain arelatively permanent set in the realignment. I

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 16 I975 3.710.653

SHEET 1 BF 2 ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJAN 16 I973 3.710.653

SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. BERN/2P0 H. M/LLEP ATTORNEYS 1 EYEGLASS FRAMEALIGNMENT DEVICE The widely used convention plastic eyeglass frames theframes and temple pieces, which permits the frames to slip down thenose, causing discomfort and distorted vision through the lens. Innormal use and practice, this loosening condition continues to worsenuntil it becomes necessary to take the glasses to a technician foradjustment and refitting. Since a technician is frequently not readilyavailable, the wearer often tolerates the discomfort and distortedvision for substantial periods of time, often until hev returns to theeye specialist for an examination. It is therefore one of the principalobjects 'of the present invention to provide a device for aligningplastic frames of eyeglasses at frequent intervals so that they will bemaintained in substantially their true aligned and properly fittedcondition at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide an eyeglass framealignment fixture which is relatively simple in construction andoperation, and can be easily used when the glasses are removed forsleeping and other short periods of time, and which. can apply prolongedmoderate pressure to the frames at room temperaturewithout danger ofbreaking or otherwise damaging the frames or lens.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an eyeglass framealignment fixturewhich is so constructed and designed thatit willaccommodate various siies and shapes of plastic frames',and apply theproper member 14. Mounted on and forming a part of frames 30 and 32 arerests 34 and 36.

When the eyeglasses are initially adjusted, they are normally fitted byheating and bending or twisting the frame until the proper fit isobtained on the wearers nose and the temples are properly fitted to thewearers ears, so that a relatively snug or firm fit is obtained whichprevents the frame from slipping down the wearers nose or otherwisebecoming displaced during normal activities by the wearer. However, as aresult of putting on and taking off the glasses and cleaning them fromtime to time, the bridge and/or the front member 14 may become somewhatdistorted by bending forwardly and outwardly so that the outer cornersmay be slightly forward from their proper position. This bendingforwardly at the bridge causes the temples likewise to move angularlyoutwardly, loosening the tector for the glasses while they are not beingworn, and

which does not require the application of heat from an external sourceor the use of any tools or instruments in the aligning and adjustingoperation.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present eyeglass frame alignmentfixture, with a pair of glasses shown therein in position forcorrection;

' FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the fixture foreyeglasses shown in FIG. 1, the section being taken on line 2-2 ofFIG.l; v r

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ment fixture;and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the fixture.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 designatesgenerally the present eyeglass frame alignment fixture, and 12a pair ofconventional or standard eyeglasses constructed of a plastic materialand having a front member 14, lens l6 and l8, bridge 20, and temples22and 24 pivotally connected to the outer ends-of front member 14 by thehinges 26 and 28. Frames 30 and 32' extend aroundthe sides and loweredge of lens 16 and 18 and are joined integrally with front member 14 toform a unitary structure. The bridge 20 is likewise formed as anintegral part of front ,toward slot-50 by a thumb screw 70 threadedlyeyeglass frame aligntemples behind the wearers ears and along each sideof his head, thus causing the previously mentioned loose-.

ness of the eyeglasses and the tendency of the glasses to slip down thewearers nose or otherwise become displaced. In the past thismisalignment has been correctedsolely by a technician, who heats theplastic frames and bends the frames to their original position to obtainthe proper fit. This, however, is often inconvenient for the wearer, andas a result, often not done for substantial periods of time. The presenteyeglass throughout their height, since the front side of the frame ofthe glasses seats firmly on the adjacent side of the upright andnormally engages the inner corners of the two posts, as seen in FIG. 3.A movable post of somewhat lesser width than slot 50 is adapted to bemoved toward and away from the slot by a lever 62 on.

which post 60 is rigidly mounted,'or which is formed integrally withpost 60. The post and lever 62 form an L- shaped element, the endadjacent upright 42 being pivoted to base 40 by a bracket 64 and pin 66,the bracket being rigidly secured by screws or other suitable securingmeans to the upper surface of base 40.

. The movable post 60 is moved angularly inwardly received in an opening72 in the outer end of lever 62.

The lower end of the screw seats on the upper surface of base 40,preferably in a guide slot 74 in the upper surface of the base. The slotassists in giving stability to the movement of element 63 when pest .60is being moved forwardly to clamp the front member and bridge of theeyeglass frames against posts 44 and 46.

The base 40, upright 42 and element 63' may be made of any suitablematerial such as plastic, wood or metal, or any combination'of thosematerials, and a cushion 76 of rubber or felt is preferably secured tothe underside of the base 40. Upright 42 may be formed integrally withthe base or, as shown in the drawings,

I formed; as a separate piece and secured thereto by screws, pins, orcement, which will permanently and rigidly secure the upright to base40.

In the use of the present eyeglass alignment fixture, the thumb screw isrotated in the direction to withdraw movable post 60 from the twostationary posts 44 and 46 and slot 50. The eyeglasses are then mountedin the fixture with the nose piece positioned in direct contact withmovable post 60 and with the front surface of front member 14 seatedagainst the rear surface of posts 44 and 46. Post 60 is tapered upwardlyand rearwardly along the front surface 80 to permit element 63 toreadily accommodate frames having various thicknesses of bridges andfront frames. The glasses with the thicker bridges and front frames willnormally be positioned somewhat higher along the vertical area of thethree posts. After the eyeglasses have been assembled in the mannerillustrated in the drawings, thumb screw 70 is tightened sufficiently tocause post 60 to press the bridge forwardly and the front member 14firmly against posts 44 and 46. The tightening of screw 70 is continueduntil the front piece 14 has been bent sufficiently to return the outercorners thereof to their original position relative to the bridge, i.e.,normally substantially on a straight line from one corner to the othercorner and intersecting the center of the bridge. The glasses thenremain clamped in the fixture in the foregoing manner with the necessarypressure being applied to the bridge by movable post 60 and are held inthe clamped condition for a period of time such as overnight, thuscausing a relatively permanent set in the frame in its realignedcondition. When the glasses are to be used, thumb screw 70 is loosened,causing movable post 60 to tilt rearwardly and relieve the pressure onbridge 20, and thus releasing the gripping action of the three posts onthe glasses frame. The glasses then can easily be lifted from thefixture.

The present eyeglass frame alignment fixture is of a size which canreadily be carried in luggage and used on a desk, night stand ordresser, so that it is always readily available to realign and reshapethe glasses to their original fitted condition. The parts of the fixturemay be of a variety of different colors to fit the decor of the room inwhich the fixture is normally used.

While only oneembodiment of the present eyeglass frame alignment fixturehas been described in detail herein, various changes and modificationsmay be made to satisfy requirements without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

1 claim:

1. An alignment device for a pair of glasses having a front member witha bridge, comprising a base, a means including a pair of spaced verticalposts extending upwardly from said base and defining a slot between saidposts, a means including a third post substantially parallel with saidpair of posts and positioned on a horizontal center line of the spacebetween said pair of posts for engaging the bridge, and means forpivoting one of said means angularly on a vertical plane relative to theother of said means to clamp the bridge and front member therebetweenfor bending the outer ends of said front member rearwardly with respectto said bridge and retaining the front member in the realigned position.

2. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 1 inwhich said pair of spaced posts are secured rigidly to said base andsaid third post includes means for moving said post angularly on avertical plane toward and away from the upper part of said pair of osts.

. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 2 inwhich said third post is rigidly secured to a lever and a meanspivotally attaches said lever to said base near said third post.

4. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 2 inwhich said means for moving said pair of posts and third post relativeto one another consists of a screw for moving said third post angularlywith respect to said pair of posts.

5. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 4 inwhich said screw extends downwardly through said lever and engages saidbase for tilting said lever upwardly and said third finger angularlywith respect to said pair of posts.

6. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 1 inwhich said third post is tapered upwardly and rearwardly on the sidethereof generally facing said pair of posts for receiving'eye glasseshaving bridges of different thicknesses.

7. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 1 inwhich said pair of posts and said third post form the only membersengaging the pair of glasses when they are clamped therebetween.

1. An alignment device for a pair of glasses having a front member witha bridge, comprising a base, a means including a pair of spaced verticalposts extending upwardly from said base and defining a slot between saidposts, a means including a third post substantially parallel with saidpair of posts and positioned on a horizontal center line of the spacebetween said pair of posts for engaging the bridge, and means forpivoting one of said means angularly on a vertical plane relative to theother of said means to clamp the bridge and front member therebetweenfor bending the outer ends of said front member rearwardly with respectto said bridge and retaining the front member in the realigned position.2. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 1 inwhich said pair of spaced posts are secured rigidly to said base andsaid third post includes means for moving said post angularly on avertical plane toward and away from the upper part of said pair ofposts.
 3. An alignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim2 in which said third post is rigidly secured to a lever and a meanspivotally attaches said lever to said base near said third post.
 4. Analignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 2 in whichsaid means for moving said pair of posts and third post relative to oneanother consists of a screw for moving said third post angularly withrespect to said pair of posts.
 5. An alignment device for a pair ofglasses as defined in claim 4 in which said screw extends downwardlythrough said lever and engages said base for tilting said lever upwardlyand said third finger angularly with respect to said pair of posts. 6.An aLignment device for a pair of glasses as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid third post is tapered upwardly and rearwardly on the side thereofgenerally facing said pair of posts for receiving eye glasses havingbridges of different thicknesses.
 7. An alignment device for a pair ofglasses as defined in claim 1 in which said pair of posts and said thirdpost form the only members engaging the pair of glasses when they areclamped therebetween.